One plane ride and ninety minutes in the sky was all it took for Simone and I to transfer ourselves to Copenhagen last December. We’d never travelled together before and our excitement (and my nerves about flying) were buzzing like a swarm of bees around us. One thing was clear, though: it didn’t take us long to decide where to go and what to do during the long weekend ahead.
We walked through the beautiful (and cold!) cobbled streets lined with colorful Danish houses. We drank huge cups of tea and ate warming breakfasts, Nordic lunches and homey dinners in carefully chosen spots around town. We took pictures of winter-y streets, old doors, framed windows, Scandinavian design and even took some selfies with both of our excited faces in it. We walked and walked and walked some more until our feet ached. Then we walked some more, because we just couldn’t go home yet.
After a couple of days spent in the city we felt at ease, at home. Our surroundings felt familiar, the language more understandable and if we hadn’t carried our huge cameras around, we’d almost blended in with the locals.
And then we climbed the Rundetaarn.
The Round Tower, in the Centre of the city, is known for its unique interior and history. No stairs, but a pathway, where horse-drawn carriages used to drive, took us round and round and round, higher and higher until we reached the top. Once we opened the door to the outside roof, the cold winter air cleared our minds and made us feel alive and awake. What we saw before our eyes was the same city we’d walked through, watched, for days. And yet, it looked completely different. The rooftops, the colored houses and streets, filled with people doing their Christmas shopping, seemed small, a bit chaotic and yet… refreshing. Refreshing to only hear the muffled sounds of the city below rise up to the top of the tower. Refreshing to get a bird’s eye view from the maze-like city centre.
And isn’t that applicable to life in general? Sometimes you’re lost in the maze, whether positive or negative, of life. Walls of to-do’s and appointments surround you. Your senses overloaded with stimuli from social media, work, noise, clutter, the hustle and bustle of life.
Take time to find your Round Tower, climb to the top, take a deep breath and look around you, and down at your life. Refresh your mind and perspective on life.
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